Antisera to alpha crystallin as probes to study changes in lens proteins during human cataractogenesis

Antisera have been made to synthetic peptides that correspond to eight different regions of the alpha A molecule. Together with a solid phase radioimmunoassay, these antisera have been used to quantitatively assess binding to enriched alpha crystallin preparations from six different cataractous and six different normal lenses. Seven of the eight antisera show no difference in binding to alpha crystallin from cataractous versus normal lenses, whereas the antiserum directed against the alpha A sequence 120-130 shows a statistically significant decrease in binding to the alpha crystallin from cataractous lenses. Together, these studies demonstrate the feasibility of using antipeptide sera as probes of polypeptide changes during cataractogenesis and suggest that the region of the alpha A crystallin molecule encompassing residues 120-300 may undergo covalent and/or noncovalent structural modification during the process of opacification in the human senile lens.     

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome and pregnancy

Two black women had bilateral anterior and posterior uveitis, nonrhegmatogenous retinal detachments, pleocytosis, headaches, dysacousis, and alopecia. These patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome improved clinically while they were pregnant after the discontinuation of corticosteroid treatment. They developed recurrent symptoms and findings after termination of their pregnancies. We speculate that changes in immunity and humoral constituents during pregnancy account for their remissions. It is important to assess the menstrual history and to avoid pregnancy before initiating steroid treatment for VKH syndrome.     

Family relationships and the development of social competence in adolescence

Abstract Resilient adolescents are notable for their social competence, which enables them to form and maintain close relationships. The evidence is that adolescents' social competence is derived from their experience of close relationships within their family. On the basis of structured interviews, adolescents' working models of attachments can be categorized into secure, dismissive, or pre-occupied. These attachment styles are associated with very divergent beliefs about the self and others, with differing patterns of emotion regulation and with differing risk profiles for maladjustment. Parenting styles and family relationships appear to have considerable influence on attachment behaviour. Further evidence for the importance of the family comes from research on ego development. Family level behavioural patterns have been discerned from family research interviews which are associated with stagnation or advancement in ego development during adolescence. Though the results suggest causal connections, the direction of effects is far from clear. Longitudinal research underpins the importance of childhood temperament as a contributing factor to the quality of the family environment that the child and then adolescent experiences.     

Anti-thyroid drugs decrease mucosal damage in a rat model of experimental colitis

Background : Methimazole, an anti-thyroid drug, was recently found to be useful in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune diseases. Moreover, decreased thyroid hormone production is associated with a variety of immunological manifestations, such as reduced activation of CD4⁺ cells, increased CD8⁺ cell activity and reduced soluble IL-2 receptors. In the present study we examined the effects of methimazole and propylthiouracil on a rat model of experimental colitis.
Methods : Colitis was induced by intracolonic administration of 30 mg trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNB). Two weeks prior to induction of colitis, rats were treated by either methimaziole (0.04%) or propylthiouracil (0.01%) in drinking water after a week of free access to water. Rats were sacrificed 48 h or 7 days after induction of colitis. The colon was isolated, rinsed with ice-cold water and weighed. Damage was assessed both macroscopically and microscopically and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity determined.
Results : All treated rats were hypothyroid as manifested by a significant elevation of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), by comparison with the control groups (mean -1.82±0.40 versus 0.11±0.02 mmol/L, respectively). The inflammatory response elicited by TNB resulted in severe mucosal damage 48 h after damage induction, which persisted for 7 days. Pre-treatment with either methimazole 0.04% or propylthiouracil 0.01% significantly decreased mucosal damage macroscopically (lesion area, lesion score and segmental weight) microscopically and also significantly decreased MPO level at both time points ( P <0.01).
Conclusions : Methimazole and propylthiouracil significantly reduce mucosal damage and colonic weight in a rat model of colitis. The mode by which they do so remains to be studied.     

Laser-induced fluorescence studies of the biodistribution of carotenoporphyrins in mice.

The biodistribution of two recently developed tumour markers, trimethylated (CP(Me)3) and trimethoxylated (CP(OMe)3) carotenoporphyrin, was investigated by means of laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) after i.v. injection into 38 tumour-bearing (MS-2 fibrosarcoma) female Balb/c mice. At 3, 24, 48 or 96 h after administration, the carotenoporphyrin fluorescence was measured in tumoral and peritumoral tissue, as well as in the abdominal, thoracic and cranial cavities. The fluorescence was induced by a nitrogen laser-pumped dye laser, emitting light at 425 nm, and analysed by a polychromator equipped with an image-intensified CCD camera. The fluorescence was evaluated at 490, 655 and 720 nm: the second and third wavelengths represent the carotenoporphyrin (CP)-related peaks, whereas the first one is close to the peak of the tissue autofluorescence. The tumour and the liver were the two tissue types showing the strongest carotenoporphyrin-related fluorescence, whereas the cerebral cortex and muscle consistently exhibited weak substance-related fluorescence. In most tissue types, the fluorescence intensities decreased over time. A few exceptions were observed, notably the liver, in which the intensity remained remarkably constant over the time period investigated.